Track-clearer



(No Model) B. B. BISHOP.'

TRACK GLEARER, No. 297,910. Patented Apr. 29, 1884.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EPHRAIMYB. BISHOP, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO EL IJ AH H. GADSBY, OF SAME PLACE, AND CHARLES R. ALLEN,

OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

TRACK-CLEARER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,910, dated April 29, 1884. Application filed November 23, 1893. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM B. BISHOP, a

citizen of the United States, residing at San complish by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved trackclearer. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a section through the rubber-faced wheel.

Similar letters of reference areused to'indicate like parts throughout the several views.

My track-clearer consists, essentially, of two conical rollers suspended from the floor of the car and extending forward and outward toward the center of the track, and arranged to rotate in a forward and upward direction, said conical rollers being actuated by the frictional contact with the car-wheels of rubber-faced disks that are mounted on the rear ends of the spindles that carry the rollers. These rollers A A are made conical or tapering from rear to front, and may bemade of any suitable material, either' solid or hollow, and are provided 3 5 with spindles B B, by which they are hung in suitable bearing-blocks. Upon the rear end of the spindles I key the plate wheel or disk C, having a rubber face, 0, as shown in Fig. 3. The forward spindles, or those situated at the 40 apex of the cone-shaped rollers, are journaled in the bearing-block D, which is suspended from the floor of the car by a rod, D, and allowed to hang directly over the center of the track. Braces or stay-rods D D are also pro- 4 5 vided', by which the said bearing-block is braced and steadied in its position. One of these forward spindles is carried through its bearingblock, and its projected end is provided with a brush-wheel, E, as shown in Fig. 1. The rear spindles, or those situated at the base of 0 the conical rollers, are journaled in the hearing blocks or plates F F, which are suspended from the floor of the car by the rods F, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. All of these suspending-rods are provided with turn-buckles, as 5 shown, or some other well-known device, whereby the position of the conical rollers with reference to the. track-rails maybe regulated. The'rubber-faced wheels C are to be so hung that they will be in constant contact with the outer forward edge of the tread of the wheel,

in order that the revolution of the oar-wheels may be imparted to the aforesaid rubber-faced wheels and the conical rollers. The rollers A A are to be hung so that the lower edge thereof will approach closely to the level of the track and be in the same-horizontal plane, and the axes of the rollers should be at right angles to each other and extend across the trackway at an angle of about forty-five degrees. The sur- 7O face of each cone or roller is traversed by a series of spirally-arranged brushes, ribs, or

hands of, rubber, G G, as shown in Fig. 1, the object of these spirals or raised rubber screw-threads being to feed or work any obstructionthat may be encountered away from toward the center of the trackway.

It should here be remarked that, if necessary, the rollers may be attached to asupplemental frame, whichcan be lowered by the action of s a lever-handle placed within reach of an attendant, for the purpose of allowing the-conical rollers to drop upon the-track and act as a check to stop the rotation of the oar-wheels and the forward motion of the car.

When in operation the rotation of the carwheels will produce a constant rotation of the track-clearers or conical rollers, which revolve frontward and upward, and thereby push forward and outward any obstruction which may be upon the track, and prevent it from being drawn beneath the car or car-wheels.

I am aware that a track-clearer has heretofore comprised a hinged frame supporting a transverse shaft carrying friction-wheels which 9 5 bear against thepilot-wheels of the locomotive,

13 B, and rubber-faced friction-wheels C C, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a tracleolearer for railroad-cars, the conical rollers A A, provided with spirallyarranged brushes or raised rubber bands GG, and brush-wheel E, substantially as shown, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

EPHRAIM B. BISHOP. [L. S.:|

\Vitnesses:

WILMER BRADFORD, Grills. E. KELLY. 

